Creative work isn't easy, and it's pretty often that people find themselves stuck in a rut, with some type of creative block, or just plain unmotivated to work. Writer Michael Nobbs, who suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, has three rules that he follows every day to help him maintain his creativity.

Nobbs' rules are by no means new, but they're useful nonetheless:

Slowly, over the past decade or so, as I have built up a creative career I've learnt that the way to have a sustainably creative life takes three basic things:

Working little and often (perhaps for just 20 minutes or less a day).

Focus.

Recognizing what has been achieved.

Nobbs' three rules are general enough that they can apply to anyone, regardless of what you do. The overarching point is to just remember that not every day is a productive one, and while that's perfectly fine, you need to recognize what you do accomplish.